The San Francisco Opera’s 2014 fall season is as exclusively Italianate as any in recent memory, with only one American work, Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah,” to vary the otherwise unbroken stream. Whether this will produce thematic consistency or a sameness of tone remains to be discovered.

In the meantime, it’s always worth reminding the jaded that even the most ostensibly shopworn repertoire is new to some listeners. For those newcomers, a little advance acquaintance with the music tends to enhance the theatrical experience — hence our annual guide to the fall’s operas on CD and DVD. All of these releases should be readily available online or in stores.

Norma: The season opens Sept. 5 with the welcome return of soprano Sandra Radvanovsky to sing the demanding role of Bellini’s lovestruck Druid priestess. For years, the standard choice of recording boiled down to either Maria Callas or Joan Sutherland in the title role, and for my money, Sutherland’s classic 1964 recording (Decca), with mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne and tenor John Alexander, remains the best option for an introduction to the work.

Either of Callas’ recordings (EMI) can also provide a dramatically charged account of the role, whose theatrical rewards more than compensate for the occasional vocal roughness. And just last year, Cecilia Bartoli entered the ring with a new recording (Decca) that matches her mezzo-soprano with the brighter soprano of Sumi Jo as Adalgisa — probably not the best choice for getting to know the piece, but an illuminating alternative interpretation. On video, go for a 1974 performance featuring Montserrat Caballé and Jon Vickers (VAI).

Susannah: This production of Carlisle Floyd’s opera, which transplants the biblical tale of Susannah and the Elders to rural Appalachia (opening Sept. 6), marks the first time any of the composer’s work has been mounted during the company’s regular season. The score is a richly accessible creation, best heard in a 1994 recording (Virgin Classics) from the Lyon Opera.

Tosca: The high-strung title role in Puccini’s opera (Oct. 23) has always been a draw for sopranos, but few can match Maria Callas for volatility, grandeur or dramatic intensity. Her 1953 recording from La Scala (EMI) remains the touchstone for this role, and she’s wonderfully partnered by Giuseppe di Stefano and Tito Gobbi under the baton of Victor De Sabata.

La Cenerentola: The title role in Rossini’s version of the Cinderella story (Nov. 9) was an early signature for mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, and her recording — an exuberant effort conducted by Riccardo Chailly — remains a landmark of her career, as well as a fine introduction to the opera (Decca).

La Bohème: Puccini’s perennial crowd-pleaser (Nov. 14) is another classic that is voluminously represented in the catalog, but a first-timer is still best served by one of the classics. Chief among them is the radiant recording conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham (EMI), with Victoria de los Angeles and Jussi Björling in the lead roles.

A good second choice is either the set featuring Renata Tebaldi and the late Carlo Bergonzi under the baton of Tullio Serafin or the one with Mirella Freni and Luciano Pavarotti led by Herbert von Karajan (both on Decca). There are options on video, but I retain a fondness for Baz Luhrmann’s witty, colorful Opera Australia production, the same one that went on to be a Broadway hit (Kultur Video).